Patents Examined by Michael J Logie
  • Patent number: 7880151
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus of beam processing corrects for beam drift while a beam is processing a sample. The beam position is aligned using a fiducial that is sufficiently near the working area so that the fiducial can be imaged and the sample processed without a stage moving. During processing, the beam positioning is corrected for drift using a model that predicts the drift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventor: Andrew B. Wells
  • Patent number: 7875851
    Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates utilizing a resolution enhancement for a circuit feature. A scanning electron microscope component (104, 204, 304, 404) can provide at least one two-dimensional image of the circuit feature. An image analysis engine (106, 206, 306, 406) can analyze the two-dimensional image. An advanced process control (APC) engine (108, 208, 308, 408) can generate at least one instruction for at least one of a feed forward control and a feedback control and a process component (102, 202, 302, 402) can utilize the at least one instruction to minimize an error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Haidinyak, Jason P. Cain, Bhanwar Singh
  • Patent number: 7868290
    Abstract: A material processing system for processing a work piece is provided. The material processing is effected by supplying a reactive gas and energetic radiation for activation of the reactive gas to a surrounding of a location of the work piece to be processed. The radiation is preferably provided by an electron microscope. An objective lens of the electron microscope is preferably disposed between a detector of the electron microscope and the work piece. A gas supply arrangement of the material processing system comprises a valve disposed spaced apart from the processing location, a gas volume between the valve and a location of emergence of the reaction gas being small. The gas supply arrangement further comprises a temperature-adjusted, especially cooled reservoir for accommodating a starting material for the reactive gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignees: Carl Zeiss NTS GmbH, Nawotech GmbH
    Inventors: Hans W. P. Koops, Peter Hoffrogge
  • Patent number: 7863562
    Abstract: A method for differential mobility separation of ions using digital-drive based high voltage fast switching electronics. The digital waveform delivered to the spectrometer is characterized by at least two substantially rectangular pulses of different amplitude and polarity. The control circuitry allows for waveform frequency, duty cycle and pulse amplitudes to be varied independently. Balanced as well as unbalanced asymmetric waveforms can be designed for optimum differential mobility separation of ions. The digital drive is designed for differential mobility spectrometers including parallel plate and segmented plate multipoles of planar symmetry, as well as multipoles of cylindrical symmetry, which may optionally be arranged in series. The use of the digital drive establishes alternating electric fields during which the displacement as a result of ion oscillation is determined by mobility coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Hermann Wollnik, Gary Eiceman, Dimitrios Papanastasiou
  • Patent number: 7858935
    Abstract: A method and system for conducting event-streamed spectrum imaging concurrently collects electron and spectral signals resulting from a raster scan of a sample. The signals are formatted and assembled as a packet stream. The packet stream is transmitted to a host where it is buffered, stored and processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: 4Pi Analysis, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott David Davilla, Jayanthi Subramanian Suryanarayanan
  • Patent number: 7847273
    Abstract: An electron gun, an electron source for an electron gun, an extractor for an electron gun, and a respective method for producing the electron gun, the electron source and the extractor are disclosed. Embodiments provide an electron source utilizing a carbon nanotube (CNT) bonded to a substrate for increased stability, reliability, and durability. An extractor with an aperture in a conductive material is used to extract electrons from the electron source, where the aperture may substantially align with the CNT of the electron source when the extractor and electron source are mated to form the electron gun. The electron source and extractor may have alignment features for aligning the electron source and the extractor, thereby bringing the aperture and CNT into substantial alignment when assembled. The alignment features may provide and maintain this alignment during operation to improve the field emission characteristics and overall system stability of the electron gun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: ELORET Corporation
    Inventors: Cattien V. Nguyen, Bryan P. Ribaya
  • Patent number: 7847266
    Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus and a method for measuring an emission pattern of such an apparatus are provided. The apparatus comprises an emitter with an emission pattern including at least two emission peaks, a gun lens, and a diaphragm, wherein the gun lens comprises a deflector unit and the deflector unit is adapted to direct an emission peak of the at least two emission peaks to an opening of the diaphragm to thereby select the emission peak of the at least two emission peaks from the emission pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbH
    Inventors: Fang Zhou, Jürgen Frosien
  • Patent number: 7842918
    Abstract: In a method for exciting a precursor ion in an ion trap, the ion is trapped in a nonlinear trapping field that includes a quadrupolar field and a multipole field. The quadrupolar field is generated by applying a radio-frequency (RF) trapping voltage to the ion trap at a trapping amplitude and trapping frequency. A supplemental alternating-current (AC) voltage is applied to the ion trap at a supplemental amplitude and supplemental frequency. The supplemental amplitude is low enough to prevent ejection of the ion from the ion trap, and the supplemental frequency differs from the secular frequency of the ion by an offset amount. One or more operating parameters of the ion trap are adjusted, such that the ion absorbs energy from the supplemental field sufficient to undergo collision-induced dissociation (CID) without being in resonance with the supplemental field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Varian, Inc
    Inventor: Mingda Wang
  • Patent number: 7838845
    Abstract: An ultraviolet irradiation water treatment apparatus includes a vessel having a cylindrical side portion, and plural rod-shaped ultraviolet lamps are disposed in parallel with a central axis of the side portion in the vessel. A water inlet pipe through which water flows into the vessel is provided in an outer wall of the side portion at a position in a tangential direction of an inner periphery of the side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Norimitsu Abe, Takeshi Ide, Takahiro Soma, Seiichi Murayama, Masao Kaneko, Shojiro Tamaki, Masumi Nakadate, Akira Morikawa
  • Patent number: 7829866
    Abstract: A method and apparatus satisfying growing demands for improving the intensity of implanting ions that impact a semiconductor wafer as it passes under an ion beam. The method and apparatus are directed to the design and combination together of novel magnetic ion-optical transport elements for implantation purposes for combating the disruptive effects of ion-beam induced space-charge forces. The design of the novel optical elements makes possible: (1) Focusing of a ribbon ion beam as the beam passes through uniform or non-uniform magnetic fields; (2) Reduction of the losses of ions comprising a d.c. ribbon beam to the magnetic poles when a ribbon beam is deflected by a magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Purser, Norman L. Turner
  • Patent number: 7825390
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a beam of electromagnetic radiation includes a plasma radiation source, and a foil trap provided with a plurality of thin foils that extend substantially parallel to the direction of radiation from the plasma source. A grid is disposed between the plasma radiation source and the foil trap. A space is located between the grid and the foil trap. The apparatus also include an electrical potential application circuit that is constructed and arranged to apply an electrical potential to the grid so that the grid repels electrons emitted by the plasma radiation source and creates a positive space charge between the grid and the foil trap to deflect ions emitted by the plasma radiation source to the foil trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Vladimir Mihallovitch Krivtsun, Vadim Yevgenyevich Banine, Vladimir Vitalevich Ivanov, Evgeny Dmitrievich Korop, Konstantin Nikolaevich Koshelev, Yurii Victorovitch Sidelnikov, Oleg Yakushev
  • Patent number: 7812322
    Abstract: The invention relates to the handling of radioactive material. For instance, a radiation shield of the invention may include a body having a cavity therein for receiving radioactive material. An opening to the cavity may be defined in the body. A base may be releasably attachable to the body (generally toward the opening) to at least partially enclose the radioactive material in the cavity. In the case that the radiation shield includes a plurality of interchangeable bases, one of the bases may have at least one of a shorter length and a lighter weight than another of the bases. The base(s) may be designed to enclose more than one size and/or shape of container in the cavity. The base(s) may include a hand grip to facilitate manual gripping of the radiation shield. The base(s) may include a guard to reduce exposure to radiation from manual handling of the radiation shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Mallinckrodt Inc.
    Inventors: Gary S. Wagner, Elaine E. Haynes, Yogesh P. Patel
  • Patent number: 7800054
    Abstract: Time-of-flight mass spectrometer instruments are disclosed for monitoring fast processes with large dynamic range using a multi-threshold TDC data acquisition method or a threshold ADC data acquisition method. Embodiments using a combination of both methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Ionwerks, Inc.
    Inventors: Katrin Fuhrer, Marc Gonin, Thomas F. Egan, William Burton, J. Albert Schultz, Valerie E. Vaughn, Steven R. Ulrich
  • Patent number: 7800053
    Abstract: Provided are a method of evaluating an ion irradiation effect, a process simulator and a device simulator, which allow the influence of ion irradiation on atoms making up a substrate to be evaluated with high accuracy. The method includes irradiating a sample with a beam of ions, and evaluating influence of the ions used for the irradiation on atoms making up the sample, provided that the sample is prepared by alternately and periodically stacking a plurality of thin film layers, and of the plurality of thin film layers, the layer of at least one kind is composed of an isotope layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Keio University
    Inventors: Kohei Itoh, Yasuo Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7800085
    Abstract: An electronic emission device emitting plural beams of electrons and including a first structure of a plurality of electron beam emission micro-sources, and a second structure opposite the first structure for collecting electrons emitted by the first structure and for carrying out a secondary emission following the collection. The device can be applied in particular to the field of direct writing lithography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Pierre Nicolas, Yohan Desieres
  • Patent number: 7795597
    Abstract: A deflector array in which a plurality of deflectors, which deflect charged particle beams, are arrayed on a substrate. The plurality of deflectors include respective openings different from each other formed on the substrate. Each of the plurality of deflectors includes a pair of electrodes opposing each other through a corresponding opening, and the plurality of deflectors are arrayed such that a length of the pair of electrodes in a longitudinal direction thereof is not less than a distance between centers of two of the plurality of deflectors which are located nearest to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Nagae, Masatoshi Kanamaru
  • Patent number: 7791051
    Abstract: In a complex, multi-processor software controlled system, such as proton beam therapy system (PBTS), it may be important to provide treatment configurable parameters that are easily modified by an authorized user to prepare the software controlled systems for various modes of operation. This particular invention relates to a configuration management system for the PBTS that utilizes a database to maintain data and configuration parameters and also to generate and distribute system control files that can be used by the PBTS for treatment delivery. The use of system control files reduces the adverse effects of single point failures in the database by allowing the PBTS to function independently from the database. The PBTS accesses the data, parameter, and control settings from the database through the system control files, which insures that the data and configuration parameters are accessible when and if single point failures occur with respect to the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Loma Linda University Medical Center
    Inventors: Alexandre V. Beloussov, Michael A. Baumann, Howard B. Olsen, Dana Salem
  • Patent number: 7777182
    Abstract: An ion cyclotron spectrometer may include a vacuum chamber that extends at least along a z-axis and means for producing a magnetic field within the vacuum chamber so that a magnetic field vector is generally parallel to the z-axis. The ion cyclotron spectrometer may also include means for producing a trapping electric field within the vacuum chamber that includes at least a first section that induces a first magnetron effect that increases a cyclotron frequency of an ion and at least a second section that induces a second magnetron effect that decreases the cyclotron frequency of an ion. The cyclotron frequency changes induced by the first and second magnetron effects substantially cancel one another so that an ion traversing the at least first and second sections will experience no net change in cyclotron frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: David A. Dahl, Jill R. Scott, Timothy R. McJunkin
  • Patent number: 7772547
    Abstract: The disclosed apparatus includes a multi-reflecting time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-TOF MS) and an orthogonal accelerator. To improve the duty cycle of the ion injection at a low repetition rate dictated by a long flight in the MR-TOF MS, multiple measures may be taken. The incoming ion beam and the accelerator may be oriented substantially transverse to the ion path in the MR-TOF, while the initial velocity of the ion beam is compensated by tilting the accelerator and steering the beam for the same angle. To further improve the duty cycle of any multi-reflecting or multi-turn mass spectrometer, the beam may be time-compressed by modulating the axial ion velocity with an ion guide. The residence time of the ions in the accelerator may be improved by trapping the beam within an electrostatic trap. Apparatuses with a prolonged residence time in the accelerator provide improvements in both sensitivity and resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Leco Corporation
    Inventor: Anatoli N. Verentchikov
  • Patent number: 7772564
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electron impact gas ion with high brightness and low energy spread. This high brightness is achieved by injecting electrons in a small ionization volume (from less than 1 ?m to several tens of micrometers in size) from one side and extracting ions from the other. The electrons injected are produced by a high brightness electron source, such as a field emitter or a Schottky emitter. In one embodiment of the invention the required high electron density in the ionization volume is realized by placing a field emitter close to the ionization volume (e.g. 30 ?m), without optics between source and ionization volume. In another embodiment of the invention the source is imaged onto a MEMS structure. Two small diaphragms of e.g. 50 nm are spaced e.g. 1 ?m apart. The electrons enter through one of these diaphragms, while the ions leave the ionization volume through the other one. The two diaphragms are manufactured by e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Fei Company
    Inventors: Pieter Kruit, Vipin Nagnath Tondare